as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed
the dawdling pace of the movie was really making us restless
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in delaying
to move or act slowly
if you continue to dawdle, we'll be late for sure
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in loafing
to spend time doing nothing
accused the city council of dawdling even as the crime rate was spiraling out of control
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dawdling
The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
Further, there’s no excuse for Congress to continue dawdling on farm policy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dawdling
Adjective
-
Bring along family or friends to enjoy a leisurely walk, trip to your local cider mill, adventurous hike or a picnic.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
8 Sep. 2025
-
With plates this inventive, brunch at Etch is less a leisurely pause and more an invitation to explore bold, boundary-crossing flavors.—
Rai Mincey,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Coach Mike McDaniel said Waller was injured before Wednesday’s practice, delaying his return after spending last season in retirement.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The experts also recommend keeping devices out of bedrooms at night, establishing screen-free meals and even considering delaying access until mid-adolescence.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Understand the difference between roosts, feeds, and loafing spots.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Biden, who ended his bid for a second White House term 107 days before last year's election, has been relatively slow to move on presidential library planning compared with most of his recent predecessors.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Sep. 2025
-
With Parkinson’s, doctors implant electrodes in the brain that produce electrical impulses to disrupt the abnormal signals that cause tremors, stiffness and slow movement.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Yet with so many worries lingering, even after Shi’s attempt to reassure them, confidence is as low as at any time in his nine years at the helm.—
Steve Madeley,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
-
In fact, Jennings has been dealing with a lingering calf injury that kept him out of action through preseason.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
On the runway, planes sat with engines idling, ground crews making final preparations as if departures could come at any moment — all as the courtroom battle played out hundreds of miles away in Washington.—
Valerie Gonzalez,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Aug. 2025
-
There are multiple scenes of him as a younger man walking briskly on city streets, briefcase tucked under an arm – purposeful, directed, not idling or taking in the ambiance around him.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The centipede the Redditor found crawling in her bed.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025
-
My death was supposed to be crawling up inside of the locker that the cat used to go in.—
Matthew Jacobs,
Vulture,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Expect wide terraces for lounging, a summer kitchen for long dinners under the stars, a pool that sits just steps from the bay, and a private dock and boat lift.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Most are more interested in diving than lounging at five-star resorts.—
Joe Sills,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dawdling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dawdling. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share